Trump appoints Bolton's deputy to act as national security adviser; Muslim-American group is blocking the election

A former member of the Reagan administration who has held executive positions with Boeing and Lockheed Martin was appointed Tuesday to act as national security adviser after John Bolton's departure.

Charles Kupperman, 68, joined the Trump administration as deputy national security adviser during Bolton in January, Business Insider reported.

The White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said Kupperman would serve as an acting national security adviser until President Trump named a permanent replacement for Bolton. Kupperman reportedly agrees with Bolton's hawkish attitude to foreign policy and intervention, suggesting that his service as a functioning national security adviser may be short-lived.

TRUMP OUSTS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR JOHN BOLTON, saying the "dissatisfied strong" on politics

In January, Trump cited Kupperman's "more than four decades of national security policy and program experience" when first appointing him to its national security team according to Business Insider.

At that time, Bolton said in a White House statement that "Charlie Kupperman has been an adviser to me for more than thirty years, including during my term as national security adviser to President Trump. … Charlie's extensive defense expertise, weapons control and space will help further President Trump's national security agenda. "

However, the election of Kupperman was opposed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a leading Muslim civil rights group that immediately called for Kupperman's departure, citing his almost decades long term with the Center for Security Policy (CSP), which CAIR considers "an anti-Muslim hate group."

Kupperman was a member of the CSP Board from 2001

to 2011. The group was founded by Frank Gaffney Jr., another former member of the Reagan administration, Business Insider reported. Critics have accused CSP of promoting conspiracy theories, including that the Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated the US government and that "creepy Shariah" law is a threat to American democracy.

Trump tweeted earlier Tuesday that he dismissed Bolton for "not agreeing strongly" with Bolton's proposal on a number of issues.

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Bolton became Trump's fourth national security adviser in April 2018, replacing HR McMaster, who had previously been appointed to the administration to replace Michael Flynn, Keith Kellogg served as acting adviser between Flynn and McMaster.

Bolton's removal comes after he reportedly was on the sidelines from discussions on high level of military involvement in Afghanistan, after opposing diplomatic efforts in the region.